Young Damien Flakemore is a little battler.
At only 6 years old, he has been diagnosed with a neuroblastoma cancer and classed as high risk.
The Grade 1 Glen Huon Primary School student, who loves school and playing with his friends, has begun his first round of chemotherapy after spending a week in the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
It began with Damien feeling unwell and complaining of hip pain in the weeks before his diagnosis.
Damien lost his appetite and his concerned parents Lauren and Brad took him to the hospital, where even x-rays, blood tests and ultrasounds showed nothing definitive.
It was after an MRI however, that the tumour was discovered.
The neuroblastoma, a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body, was located on Damien’s back, with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation planned for the next 18 months to help Damien beat it.
Damien’s aunt Rebecca Flakemore said that the family was devastated to learn that the mass on Damien’s back was cancer.